Animal-releasing device



"(No Model.

S J EGKER ANIMAL RBLEASING DEVICE.

No. 577,479; Patented Feb. 23, 189 7.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL J. ECKER, OF SOUTH BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA.

ANlMAL-RELEASING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 577,479, dated February 23, 1897.

Application filed June 2 3, 1 8 9 6.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL J. EOKER, of South Bethlehem, in the county of N orthampton and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Animal-Releasing Devices; and I do here by declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in animal-releasing devices; and it consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a'view embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detached view of my improvement in its locked position, and Fig. 3 is a similar view of same in its unlocked position.

A represents a metal plate provided witha forwardly-projecting keeper 1 and a forwardly-projecting supporting-bracket 2, each of which is preferably formed integral with said plate, and each is also provided with a hole through which passes the locking-bolt and releasing-rod, respectively, as will hereinafter more fully appear. secured to the manger or other convenient place within a stall, and its attachment may be efiected by screws or bolts, as desired.

Rigidly secured to plate A is the bearingblook 3, which latter extends parallel with keeper 1, whereby a narrow passage-way is formed between said block and keeper for the introduction of the halter-ring 4. Pivotally secured to bearing-block 3 is the lockingbolt 5, the locking end of which is hookedshaped, as shown in the drawings, while the opposite end or shank thereof is straight, to which is secured one end of connecting-link 6, the opposite end of said link being connected to the releasing-rod 7. In order totake all strain off of the pivotal point of lockingbolt 5, as well as off of the bolt itself, I have provided a guard 8, which latter is rigidly secured to bearing-block 3, between which and said guard the locking-bolt moves, and hence Plate A is to be Serial No. 596,606. on) model.)

when the locking-bolt is in its locked position it will be apparent that any strain exerted thereon will be borne by guard 8.

\Vhether one or more stalls are fitted with my improvement one of the ends of rod 7 must project a short distance through one of the stable-walls, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. To this projecting end is pivotally secured the lever 10,Which latter is fulcrumed in bracket 11, carried by the stable-wall.

The operation of my improvement is very simple. After the stock has been haltered and fastened, which latter part of the operation is accomplished by placing ring 4 (which is secured to the free end of the halter) between keeper 1 and guard 8, the locking-bolt 5 is then moved to its locked position by moving rod 7 backward, which can be accomplished by grasping said rod 7 at any convenient place within the stall in which the horse or cow is to be fastened. This movement of rod 7 causes the hooked-shaped end of locking-bolt 5 to move forward and pass through the opening in keeper 1, which also looks the ring 4 within the narrow passage-way formed between the keeper and bearing-plate 3. As before stated,it will be apparent that all strain exerted upon bolt 5 will be borne by guard 8. Should it become necessary to release the stock by reason of tire, it can be easily and quickly accomplished without entering the stable by simply giving a quick pull on lever 10, which will instantly cause releasing-rod 7 to move forward and locking-bolt 5 to be thrown out of engagement with keeper 1, leaving ring 4 free to fall by gravity, thus releasing the stock and leaving them at liberty to pass or be driven out of the doors opened for their escape.

This device is designed for quickly releasing cattle or horses in the event of a fire, and

hence, ordinarily, they would be released by simply removing the halter from the neck of the animal, leaving the halter locked to the bolt. When, however, it becomes necessary to release them all quickly and simultaneously, it is done, as before stated, by moving the releasing-rod endwise, which releases the halters. When the rings are released, the end of the hook is protected and covered by the guard, and there is nothing in the way which could by any possibility engage the ring and prevent its release.

Having fully described my invention,Wl1at I claim as 11ew,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An animal-releasing device, consisting of a plate provided with a keeper, and with a bearing-block, said parts being arranged substantially as described to form anarroW space between them, of a pivoted locking-bolt, constructed to support a halter-ring and arranged so that its free end Will pass through a hole in the keeper, a guard located over the bolt, and a rod for actuating the pivoted bolt, substantially as set forth.

2. An animal-releasing device comprising a plate having a keeper and a bearing integral therewith, a bearing-block on said plate, a locking-bolt pivoted to the block and adapted to enter the keeper, a guard secured to the SAMUEL J. ECKER.

lVitnesses:

GEO. V. SNYDER, M. M. FAUST. 

